Houthis Enter the Iran War: What a Bab el-Mandeb Disruption Means for India

The Strait of Hormuz blockade has already disrupted global energy markets. If the Houthis resume a sustained shipping campaign in the Bab el-Mandeb and Red Sea, India faces simultaneous pressure on both its energy imports and its export routes. Understanding the geography, the actors, and the economic stakes is essential for GS-2 and GS-3 exam preparation.

The Houthis control significant territory in northwestern Yemen including the capital Sana'a, which they seized in 2014. They are supplied with missiles, drones, and intelligence by Iran. During the 2023-25 shipping disruption campaign, they demonstrated the ability to strike vessels hundreds of kilometres from Yemen's coast using anti-ship ballistic missiles and one-way attack drones. US and UK strikes in 2025 degraded but did not eliminate this capability.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways tracks the routes Indian cargo ships use. The Red Sea-Suez Canal route is the most economical path for India-Europe trade. When it is disrupted, goods must travel an additional 4,000-6,000 nautical miles around Africa, adding roughly two to three weeks of transit time and significantly higher fuel and insurance costs. For bulk agricultural commodities and garments where margins are thin, these cost additions are severe.

The Houthi campaign that began in December 2023 reduced Suez Canal trade volumes by more than 40% within two months. Indian exporters in textiles, leather, and agriculture faced freight cost increases of 200-400% on Red Sea routes. Some markets switched to imports from Turkey and Bangladesh, which had shorter or less disrupted supply routes. The loss of market share in time-sensitive export categories takes months to recover after normalcy returns — making each disruption cumulatively damaging.

Diverting from the Suez-Red Sea route to the Cape of Good Hope adds 4,000-6,000 nautical miles and 14-20 days per voyage. A container ship making monthly sailings between India and Europe effectively loses one or two voyages per year on the longer route. At current charter rates, the cost difference per voyage can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars — costs that ultimately flow through to exporters and importers as higher freight charges and slower delivery schedules.

• •Maritime chokepoints: Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb, Suez Canal, Strait of Malacca — locations, traffic volumes, legal status under UNCLOS
• •Houthis: Yemen civil war, UNSC resolutions, Iranian proxy network
• •India's maritime trade routes and export mix
• •IMO and the International Seabed Authority: governance of international waters
• •India's Blue Economy policy and the SAGARMALA programme